FISA Compromise is Worthless

Just yesterday House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer was telling us that he’d basically lost control over House Democrats and that they were the ones forcing his hand in this ridiculous compromise over FISA that would grant big telecommunication companies immunity over their warrantless wiretapping and other exercises.  At about 11:30 this morning I get an email from the office of the majority leader telling me that between the House and Senate majority and minority leaders of their respective intelligence committees that a compromise has been reached–and according to the Wall Street Journal, that compromise essentially include immunity.

As David Kurtz points out at TPM, it is a ridiculous compromise that creates such a weak standard for “conditional immunity” that just about any telecom company could meet.

If Hoyer thinks he’s lot control now (but then regained it to tout this compromise) let’s show him what a lack of control looks like when the blogosphere puts the pressure on his office and Congressional Democrats across the country not to vote for this POS compromise.

CALL NOW!

Here’s the switchboard number for the Majority Leader’s Office: 202-225-3130

You can reach Iowa’s congressmen at these numbers:

  • IA-01, Bruce Braley (D): (202) 225-2911
  • IA-02, Dave Loebsack (D): (202) 225-6576
  • IA-03, Leonard Boswell (D): (202) 225-3806
  • IA-04, Tom Latham (R): (202) 225-5476
  • IA-05, Steve King (R): (202) 225-4426

Remember to be polite and concise, expressing your opposition to the FISA Amendments Act (H.R. 6304) and asking for your representative to oppose it as well.

If you get a response one way or the other on how they’d vote, leave a note in the comments.

About the Author(s)

Chris Woods

  • Text of the bill

    If you want a PDF of the full text of the bill, just let me know and I’ll make it available.

  • I called Boswell's office yesterday

    For what it’s worth, the staffer I talked to said they were getting a lot of calls on this issue. Keep them coming! He is the weakest link among the Iowa Democrats in Congress.  

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